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Italy Family Adventure Tour

This charming corner of Italy is renowned for its superb scenery, mouth-watering cuisine and fine weather. Along the dramatic coastline we visit the Roman city of Pompeii and the majestic Greek temples of Paestum. We walk on the summit of Vesuvius where we can look down into its vast volcanic crater. Join us in making classic Italian pizza, or simply enjoy the sunshine by the hotel pool.

Itinerary

1

Join tour Naples Airport; Transfer to the Sorrento Peninsula

Our tour starts at Naples airport from where it is around an 1.5 hour drive to the lovely Sorrento Peninsula, where we will be spending the first few days exploring the glorious beauty and historic remains along this stretch of coast.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
None

2

Train to Pompeii; visit site and then drive to Vesuvius

This morning sees us boarding the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii. On arrival we will enjoy a guided walk around this remarkably well-preserved example of a provincial Roman city. The town once housed 15,000 people and was an important commercial centre, as well as a favourite residence of wealthy Roman patricians, until one fateful day some 2,000 years ago when the powerful eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius (1281 m) buried the city, preserving forever in layers of ash and pumice, the town and its unfortunate citizens. You can still see the extensive colonnaded forum with its Temple of Jupiter and the magnificently decorated villas such as that of the Vetii, whilst the human casts that have been made of some of the unfortunate victims trapped by the eruption afford a unique snapshot of an event that happened over two millennia ago. Following our visit, we will take a charter bus on to Vesuvius itself and walk to the rim of the volcanic crater, from where there are remarkable views of Naples, the coastal plain and the glistening bay. Vesuvius is the only active volcano on the European mainland and dominates the skyline between Naples and Pompeii, rising up from the flat and fertile plains. Since the mighty eruption of AD 79, which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, it has had another 18 violent eruptions, the last one being in 1944, surprising the Allied forces and destroying an entire squadron of 88 B-25 bombers belonging to the American Air Force! Don't worry though - Vesuvius is amongst the most studied and closely monitored volcanoes in the world, so we should get plenty of warning if it does blow again. From here we return back to Sorrento.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

3

Morning tour of the Sorrento Town; Afternoon visit agriturismo farm

Our morning tour takes us through a beautiful landscape blanketed in orange and olive groves, terraced farmland and vineyards to a local agriturismo (working farm) in the hills above the Gulf to see how the local produce is cultivated and made. Surrounded by apple orchards, olive groves and vineyards, the farm produces an array of products, from olive oil to jams and honey with time to buy some of the products before we return to Sorrento and our hotel. We departure mid-afternoon, travelling back by local train to the centre of Sorrento from where we start our walking tour of this popular town. Sorrento is a rich and elegant city which straddles the cliffs overlooking the water to Naples and Mount Vesuvius and boasts plenty of good quality restaurants and cafe bars from where you can do what the Italians do best - people watching. The city is originally a favoured summer retreat of the Romans and attracted the likes of Casanova, Byron and Wagner so as you can see, we are in good company. On this tour, we see and experience some of the highlights of Sorrento such as the Cathedral, the public gardens and most importantly, a classic of Italian culture - the Gelato Italiano (Italian ice cream). Before we return to our hotel, we have dinner in one of the cities many exquisite restaurants.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

4

Full day trip in Capri with option to visit the Blue Grotto

This morning we take a hydrofoil across the Gulf of Naples to the beautiful island of Capri, where weather permitting we will hope to enjoy a boat trip around its stunning coastline. Capri is a breathtaking area of natural beauty and it's seductive charms have attracted many visitors for thousands of years. There is an option to visit the delightful Villa San Michele. Built on the site of the ruins of the villa once owned by the emperor Tiberius, this elegant property contains an interesting museum boasting a wealth of artefacts that date back through to antiquity, and the gardens present some breathtaking views of the island, the Sorrento Peninsula and Mount Vesuvius. If sea conditions allow, there may be time to visit the celebrated Blue Grotto (optional), where refracted sunlight through the translucent waters produces iridescent effects of light and colour. Alternatively, you can walk to the Villa Jovis, the ruins of Tiberius' cliff top palace from where the views over the island and the Bay of Naples are nothing short of spectacular (the climb takes about 45 minutes and is fairly strenuous). More fantastic views are afforded from the top of Mount Solare, which can be accessed by chairlift (optional) at Anacapri town. Later this afternoon we will return to the mainland.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

5

Drive to Scala; afternoon pizza making

Today we leave the Sorrento Peninsula behind and head for Scala, a little town that sits in the hills overlooking the beautiful Amalfi coastline. The drive itself is a highlight of the tour with wonderful views along the way. Over the next few days you will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy the tranquil surroundings of Scala, a town that is next door to the famous Ravello and a short bus or taxi ride from the even more famous town of Amalfi. This afternoon we have a go at making pizza or pasta making, with the bonus (or not, depending upon your culinary skills) of eating what you have made later in the day.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Dinner

6

Morning visit to Buffalo Farm; Afternoon visit to Paestum

This morning we drive to a local Buffalo Farm to see for ourselves how the water buffalos produce a range of products from cheese to yoghurt. This area is famed for its mozzarella cheese and we get a chance today to try some fresh buffalo mozarella, on the hoof as it were. After a guided tour of the farm to see how the cheese is made we depart for an afternoon visit to the ancient site of Paestum (unguided). Founded by the Greeks in the 6th century BC and then colonized by the Romans, this once important city on the open plains to the south of the River Sele lay undisturbed amongst verdant forest until it's rediscovery in the 18th century. Dedicated to the goddess Hera, the site contains some of the best preserved Doric temples in the world and the impressive remains of the Temple of Neptune and the Basilica of Hera present us with a quite spectacular setting.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch

7

Morning visit to Amalfi; Afternoon free

This morning we take a trip to the nearby town of Amalfi for a visit to without doubt one of the highlights of this coastal region. The beautiful 11th Century Cathedral of St. Andrea dominates the town, a magnificent combination of Romanesque and Saracen design, with an impressive set of bronze doors that hailed from Constantinople. At the far end of the town lies the 'Valley of the Mills', a once important centre of the Amalfi's paper industry, that today echoes with the ghosts of its past glories. This afternoon there are a number of possible options available including a visit to Ravello, a tranquil spot located high on a rocky promontory overlooking the azure waters of the coast. A glorious mix of Moorish flair and aristocratic excess, the town's captivating charms have attracted artists and writers to its enchanting streets for generations. Another option is a walk along the stunning coastline, with a visit to one of the paper mills and museums to learn a little something of the areas historical importance.

Overnight: Standard HotelSwimming Pool Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

8

Tour ends Naples Airport

Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the Family In The Shadow Of Vesuvius tour available at present.

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Why Book this tour

This adventure is great for families with a range of ages of children (minimum of 5 years) with included visits to highlights such as Vesuvius, Pompeii and the beautiful towns of Sorrento and Amalfi. We have a range of transport including trains, boats, ferry and bus which all give a flavour of the area and there are plenty of opportunities for family fun including making pizzas, discovering the Blue Grotto, visiting a buffalo farm and of course eating lots of Italian ice-cream. A great holiday to discover the beautiful Sorrento Peninsula area and meet other like-minded families.